D«a&iTO; 


U.S.  DEPOSITORY 


Hawaii  Agricultural  Experiment  Station, 

HONOLULU.  ill'"/!'**?'*''- 


E.  V.  WILCOX,  Special  Agent  in^SBvrge. 


*~  nov      WTija 


PRESS    BULLETIN    INO. 


Fruit    IV1  arreting:    InvestigaHbiQ.1' 
in    1Q07. 


By  J.  E.  Higgins, 

Horticulturist,   Hawaii   Experiment  Station,   United    States   De- 
partment of  Agriculture. 


INTRODUCTION. 

Fruit  production  is  destined  to  become  one  of  Hawaii's  most 
important  industries.  Already  pineapple  growing  has  assumed 
very  considerable  proportions,  and  there  are  today  between  two 
thousand  and  three  thousand  acres  under  successful  pineapple 
cultivation,  where  a  few  years  ago  the  land  was  thought  unfit 
for  any  purpose  other  than  grazing.  The  pineapple  area  is 
rapidly  increasing  and  conservative  men  believe  that  the  industry 
is  as  yet  in  its  infancy. 

Other  fruits,  it  is  believed,  will  repeat  the  history  of  the  pine- 
apple in  Hawaii.  Together  with  the  soil  and  moisture  require- 
ments, the  absolute  freedom  from  frost  renders  this  group  of 
islands   peculiarly  adapted  to  the   growth   of  tropical   and   sub- 


tropical  fruits.  Some  of  these  fruits  such  as  the  avocado,  the 
mango  and  the  papaia  in  their  present  state  of  semi-cultivation  or 
absolute  neglect  give  great  promise  of  results  under  the  new 
horticulture  which  is  beginning  in  Hawaii. 

T<>  ascertain  the  best  methods  of  marketing,  including  every 
step  in  the  process  from  the  gathering  of  the  fruit  in  the  field, 
&t  to  its**sa4e.  in  the  market,  is  quite  as  important  in  any  fruit  in- 
'  dustry  as  the  knowledge  of  production.  To  determine  some 
f  W;  of  the  important  factors  in  marketing  Hawaiian  fruits,  the  Ha- 
**;li§Jvaii  Experiment  Station  has  undertaken  a  series  of  experiments 
*t  A  ♦  which  have  now  covered  about  four  years.  The  report  of  this 
(  work  to  the  close  of  the  season  of  1906  has  been  published  in 
Bulletin  No.  14.  This  paper  presents  the  results  of  experi- 
ments and  observations  in  1907  so  far  as  they  are  of  immediate 
practical  application. 

On  July  24  there  was  shipped  from  Honolulu  to  San  Fran- 
cisco a  consignment  of  about  12  tons  of  pineapples,  1300  avo- 
cados and  200  papaias.  These  were  under  the  direction  of  the 
horticulturist  of  the  Station,  who  personally  accompanied  the 
shipment.  A  part  of  the  pineapples  were  trans-shipped  by  water 
to  Los  Angeles.  There  and  in  San  Francisco  careful  examina- 
tion was  made  of  the  fruits  in  each  crate,  although  in  Los  Ange- 
les it  was  not  possible  to  personally  supervise  the  work. 

Cable  advices  regarding  the  results  of  different  methods  of 
handling  and  packing  were  forwarded  to  the  experiment  station, 
and  preparations  were  made  for  a  shipment  to  Chicago  of  a  car 
load  of  pineapples  and  avocados.  The  date  of  sailing  was  August 
14  and  that  of  arrival  in  San  Francisco,  August  21.  This  fruit 
was  examined  and  such  of  the  pineapples  as  appeared  to  be  in 
condition  for  trans-shipment,  were  sorted,  repacked,  placed  in 
a  refrigerated  car  and  forwarded  to  Chicago,  by  way  of  Ogclen 
leaving  August  22,  and  arriving  in  Chicago,  August  31.  All 
the  avocados  were  placed  in  the  car  without  repacking.  The  car 
was  pre-iced  on  the  afternoon  of  August  21.  September  1.  be- 
ing Sunday,  and  September  2  falling  on  Labor  Day,  it  was 
not  possible  to  remove  the  fruit  from  the  car  until  September 
3.     On  the  third  day  a  careful  examination   was   made  of  the 


avocados  and  pineapples.  The  avocados  were  in  good  condi- 
tion for  immediate  consumption,  but  were  not  so  firm  as  they 
should  be  for  the  market.  Had  they  been  perfectly  hard  when 
taken  from  the  steamer,  it  is  believed  they  would  have  arrived 
in  the  same  condition  in  Chicago. 

The  pineapples  opened  up  in  most  excellent  condition.  The 
loss  was  less  than  one  per  cent.  It  was  reported  that  some  of 
the  fruits  showed  more  or  less  discoloration  in  ripening.  This, 
however,  has  been  noticed  repeatedly  on  fruits  shipped  with 
refrigeration  and  without  to  San  Francisco  and  other  points. 
The  outcome  of  this  trial  shipment  by  rail  strongly  suggests  that 
it  will  be  no  more  difficult  to  place  Hawaiian  pineapples  in  the 
interior  markets  than  in  the  markets  of  the  Pacific  Coast. 

GENERAL. 

For  convenience  and  to  avoid  needless  repetition,  subjects  re- 
lating to  transportation,  markets  and  organization  for  market- 
ing purposes,  may  be  discursed  in  general. 

TRANSPORT  ATIUX. 

Bv  Land.  Until  the  present  time  there  has  been  practicallv 
no  freight  transportation  of  Hawaiian  fruits  by  rail.  A  few 
express  shipments  have  been  sent  to  inland  cities,  and  by  water 
freight  Hawaiian  pineapples  have  reached  the  chief  markets  on 
the  Pacific  Coast.  One  of  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  shipments 
by  rail  has  been  the  high  freight  tariff.  The  railroads  subject 
to  the  Inter-State  Commerce  Commission  have  made  a  tariff 
schedule  on  "deciduous  fruits."  and  other  tariffs  on  citrus  fruits. 
Though  the  term  "deciduous  fruits"  is  of  rather  loose  applica- 
tion, Hawaiian  pineapples  and  many  other  tropical  fruits  could 
not  well  be  classified  here.  In  preparation,  therefore,  for  the 
experimental  shipment  by  rail  to  Chicago,  this  subject  of  freight 
rates  on  tropical  fruits  was  taken  up  with  the  railroads.  Per- 
mission was  received  by  them  from  the  Inter-State  Commerce 
Commission   to  announce   a   regular  tariff   on   "tropical   fruits," 


identical  with  that  for  "deciduous  fruits."     The  tariff  sheet  now 
reads,  "Rates  on  Deciduous  and  Tropical  Fruits." 

These  rates  are  as  follows : 


TO 


Colorado  Common  Points 

Missouri  River  Common  and  intermediate  points  and) 
points  west  thereof  to  which  Missouri  River  Common  V 
and  intermediate  rates  are  authorized  to  apply ) 

Mississippi  River  Common  Points 

Chicago  and  Common  Points 

Cincinnati,  Detroit  and  Common  Points 

Pittsburg,  Buffalo  and  Common  Points,  including  points') 
in  Canada  taking  Toronto  rates,  as  shown  on  pages  10  - 
to  21  of  the  tariff  ....  ) 

New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and  Common  Points, ) 
including  points  in  Canada  taking  Montreal  rates  asj- 
shown  on  pages  10  to  21  of  the  tariff ) 

Boston  and  Common  Points,  including  points  in  Canada) 
taking  Sherbrooke  rates,  as  shown  on  pages  10  to  21  of  >■ 
the  tariff \ 


In  Carloads  of 

not  less  than 

24,000  lbs. 

Per  100  Lbs. 


|   1.15 

1.15 

1.15 
1.15 
1  40 

1  40 
1.45 
1.45 


This  practically  opens  the  way  for  carload  trans-continental 
shipments.  Hawaii  can  now  take  advantage  of  all  the  facilities 
for  shipment  offered  to  the  fruit  growers  of  California.  These 
facilities,  which  have  been  gained  by  the  California  shippers. 
through  long  and  strenuous  experiences,  are  practically  the  free 
gift  to  the  shippers  from  Hawaii.  During  the  whole  of  the 
fruit  season  special  fruit  trains  leave  daily  for  Eastern  points. 
These  are  hastened  through  to  destinations  as  rapidly  as  possi- 
ble, the  time  required  from  San  Francisco  to  Chicago  being  sche- 
duled at  eight  days.  Cars  are  kept  iced  throughout  their  jour- 
ney and  the  shipper  is  permitted  to  give  his  own  instructions  re- 
garding the  opening  or  closing  of  the  ventilators.  The  rail- 
roads issue  a  sheet  for  the  convenience  of  the  shipper  which  is 
as  follows : 


REQUEST   TO   VENTILATE    PERISHABLE   FREIGHT. 


IOX) 

To    Agent, 


We  have  this  day   delivered  to   you  for   transportation   the   follow- 
ing  perishable    freight    


Car   number    

Initial    

Destination    

Consignee     

Keep  ventilators  open  to  destination . 

Keep   ventilators   open   to 

Keep  ventilators  closed  to  destination 

Close   ventilators    at    

Open  side  doors  for  ventilation   at .  .  . 


It  is  understood  as  between  shipper  and  carrier  that  the  carrier 
undertakes  to  comply  with  above  request  only  as  accommodation  to 
and  in  the  interest  of  shipper,  and  in  so  doing  does  not  assume  any 
risk  for  loss  or  damage  to  said  property. 


Shipper. 


Note: — In  absence  of  specific  instructions  by  shipper  as  to  open- 
ing and  closing  ventilators,  the  carriers  will  exercise  their  judgment, 
at  owners  risk,  and  for  information  of  railway  employes  only,  way- 
bills will    be  stamped: 

"Put  in  ice  plugs  and  close  hatches  when  temperature  falls  below 
freezing.  Open  hatches  and  take  out  ice  plugs  immediately  when 
temperature  is  above  freezing." 


Manner  of  Packing  the  Car.  It  is  important  that  a  car 
should  be  properly  packed  in  order  to  permit  of  the  free  circu- 
lation of  air  among  the  crates  and.  at  the  same  time,  to  prevent 
shifting.  In  so  long  a  haul  with  many  stops  and  sudden  jerks 
in  switching,  if  the  crates  are  not  held  firmly  in  position  they 
would  rapidly  be  broken  and  the  fruit  injured.  Different  methods 
of  packing  a  car  are  in  vogue  with  different  kinds  of  fruits  and 
different  types  of  crates.  Orange  boxes  for  example,  are  usually 
stood  on  end  and  the  dimensions  are  such  that  a~  given  number 
will  exactly  occupy  the  floor  space  of  the  car.  With  other  fruits 
such  as  grapes,  the  crates  for  which  are  flat,  there  is  usually 
an  open  space  in  the  center  of  the  car  where  the  crates  must  be 
braced  to  hold  them  in  position.  Circulation  of  air  among  the 
crates  is  provided  for  by  placing  small  strips  on  the  floor  of  the 
ear  and  beneath  each  tier.  There  is  also  a  large  open  space 
running  lengthwise  of  the  car.  between  each  two  rows  of  crates. 
Were  it  not  for  this  arrangement  it  would  be  practically  impossi- 
ble to  get  the  fruit  in  the  center  of  the  car  refrigerated.  What 
method  of  packing  pineapple  crates  in  a  car  will  prove  best  is  a 
matter  which  must  yet  be  worked  out.  and  will  probably  depend 
in  part  upon  what  type  of  crate  is  adopted.  From  the  limited 
experience  afforded  by  a  single  car.  it  would  seem  that  the  large 
sized  crate  in  most  common  use  in  Hawaii  should  be  placed  on 
edge.  A  car  would  probably  hold  about  160  crates,  which  would 
represent  about  24,000  lbs.  or  the  minimum  carload.  This  would 
be  without  overloading  the  car  by  placing  the  fruit  too  high.  It 
is  always  customary  to  leave  a  large  open  space  at  the  top.  on 
an  average  perhaps  about  %  of  the  height  of  the  car.  The  warm 
air  rises  to  the  highest  point,  and  therefore  fruit  that  occupies 
a  position  near  the  top  of  the  car  would  receive  very  poor 
refrigeration.  This  arrangement  of  the  crates  allows  for  four 
vows  on  the  floor  with  an  air  space  next  to  the  walls  of  the  car 
and  between  the  rows. 

Cost  of  Transportation.  The  expense  involved  in  moving 
a  carload  of  pineapples  from  the  wharf  in  San  Francisco  to  Chi- 


/ 

cago,  including  the  cost  of  repacking,  would  be  approximately  as 
follows : 

Freight     $  276 .  00 

Loading    1 .  50 

Repacking  at    20   cents   per   crate     32.00 

Cartage,   wharf  to  car    16 .  00 

Icing    charges 85 .  00 

Total     $410.50 

Taking  the  weight  of  a  large  crate  of  pineapples  packed,  as 
150  pounds,  which  is  believed  to  be  about  an  average,  approxi- 
mately 7S  per  cent  of  the  total  weight  would  be  fruit,  and  22  per 
cent  tare.  In  a  12  ton  car  there  would  be  about  9.36  tons  of  fruit. 
The  cost  of  moving  a  ton  of  fruit  from  the  San  Francisco  wharf 
to  Chicago  would  be.  according  to  these  figures,  about  $44.00. 
Figured  per  crate,  the  cost  would  be  about  $2.55. 

Transportation  by  Sea.  Refrigeration.  There  are  two 
distinct  methods  of  transportation,  by  ocean  freight,  the  one  in- 
volving refrigeration,  the  other  ventilation.  Such  fruits  as  avo- 
cados, mangoes,  and  papaia  demand  refrigeration,  while  the 
pineapple  may  be  shipped  without  it.  and  its  use  is  not  at  all 
adapted  to  the  banana.  Although  the  volume  of  freight  demand- 
ing refrigeration  at  the  present  time  is  very  small,  there  can  be 
no  question  that  it  will  increase  and  that  the  shipment  of  refri- 
gerated fruit  will  become  an  important  industry.  In  the  inter- 
ests of  those  who  are  already  shipping  this  class  of  perishable 
goods,  and  also  in  the  interests  of  future  development,  it  is 
opportune  to  give  attention  to  the  requirement  of  refrigeration 
in  ocean  transit. 

The  exact  temperatures  which  are  best  adapted  to  the  pre- 
servation of  each  species  of  tropical  fruit  has  not  yet  been  deter- 
mined. This  in  itself  is  a  line  of  work  which  would  involve 
extended  experiments  and  which  cannot  be  carried  out  without 
larger  expense  than  the  Station  has  been  able  to  afford.  It  has 
been  found,  however,  that  avocados  and  papaias  are  not  injured 
by  a  temperature  of  about  40  degrees  F.,  continued  for  several 


weeks.  On  the  other  hand,  it  has  been  found  that  holding-  the 
temperature  of  the  refrigerated  compartment  at  50  degrees  F., 
has  resulted  in  the  ripening  of  the  fruit.  Tentatively,  there- 
fore, it  is  recommended  that  steamships  carrying  avocados  and 
papaias  should  hold  the  temperature  between  40  and  45  degrees. 
Steving  the  Fruit  to  Permit  Refrigeration.  It  is  im- 
portant in  stowing  the  crates  to  place  them  so  that  there  can  be 
a  free  circulation  of  air  between  and  also  beneath  them.  Some 
adaptation  of  the  methods  adopted  in  packing  cars,  as  described 
above,  should  be  followed  by  the  steamship  companies  in  their 
refrigerated  compartments.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  refriger- 
ate a  solid  and  compact  mass ;  and  it  is  only  by  causing  the  cold 
air  to  pass  to  every  part  of  the  compartment  that  the  fruit  can 
be  brought  down  to  a  low  temperature.  The  temperature  indi- 
cated by  the  thermometer  within  the  compartment  may  be  no 
index  to  the  temperature  of  the  fruit  in  the  crates.  It  has  been 
found  in  trans-continental  shipments  made  for  experimental  pur- 
poses by  the  Division  of  Pomology  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of 
Agriculture,  that  even  with  the  best  arrangement  of  packages 
within  the  car,  and  with  ample  supplies  of  ice  the  temperature 
of  the  fruit  in  the  center  of  an  orange  box  remains  for  several 
days  far  above  that  of  the  atmospheric  temperature  within  the 
car.  After  a  compartment  on  steamship  is  filled  with  fruit  it 
will  require  considerable  time  to  get  the  temperature  of  the  room 
to  40  degrees,  and  it  must  then  be  distinctly  borne  in  mind  that 
the  fruit  will  be  much  later  in  assuming  this  temperature,  even 
with  the  best  methods  of  steving.  With  no  care  being  taken 
to  permit  free  circulation,  the  fruit  farthest  from  the  pipes  and 
in  the  center  of  the  crates  may  spoil  before  its  heat  has  been 
removed.  For  these  reasons  it  is  eminently  important  that  the 
engines  should  be  working  and  the  room  brought  to  a  low  tem- 
perature before  being  opened  to  receive  the  cargo,  and  that  it 
should  remain  open  the  shortest  possible  time.  When  the  cargo 
is  in  place  the  doors  should  be  opened  as  little  as  possible,  should 
never  be  allowed  to  remain  open,  and  every  effort  should  be  made 
to  hold  the  temperature  at  a  uniform  degree. 


Every  steamship  attempting  to  carry  refrigerated  tropical 
fruits  should  observe  these  general  principles.  Furthermore, 
every  steamship  which  is  expected  to  develope  the  fresh  fruit 
industries  of  Hawaii  should  be  equipped  with  at  least  a  small 
compartment  which  can  be  used  for  the  carrying*  of  such  fruits 
as  require  low  temperatures  for  their  preservation.  Only  in  this 
way  can  these  smaller  industries  be  developed,  for  no  one  will 
plant  and  cultivate  fruits  with  no  means  of  getting  them  to  mar- 
ket. 

Shipping  Uxder  Ventilation.  The  greatest  present  need 
in  Hawaiian  fruit  transportation  is  ventilation.  The  results  rec- 
orded in  Bulletin  Xo.  14  of  this  Station  have  been  confirmed  bv 
the  experiences  of  the  past  summer.  The  requirements  as  set 
forth  therein  for  the  shipment  of  fruit  without  refrigeration 
were  as  follows :  First,  ventilation ;  second,  dryness ;  third. 
reasonably  low  temperatures  :  fourth,  careful  handling  and  stev- 
ing.  Few  if  any  steamships  at  present  in  the  trade  can  assure 
the  shipper  that  his  fruit  will  receive  these  requirements  of  safe 
shipping.  Pineapples  and  bananas  have  been  carried  on  deck  on 
some  of  the  steamers,  covered  with  an  awning  and  with  tarpaulin 
on  the  sides.  Strips  of  board  placed  beneath  the  crates,  permit 
of  ventilation  beneath.  By  this  means,  in  favorable  weather. 
both  bananas  and  pineapples  arrive  at  their  destination  in  good 
condition.  In  heavy  storms  it  is  not  easy  to  keep  the  fruit  dry. 
In  cold  weather  fruit  cannot  be  shipped  in  safety  on  deck.  The 
ventilation  supplied  to  the  compartments  below  deck  is  insuf- 
ficient unless  some  method  of  mechanically  forced  draught  is 
adopted.  The  windsail  when  it  can  be  used  serves  a  valuable 
purpose,  but  its  use  is  subject  to  the  uncertainties  of  weather. 
There  is  no  one  factor  that  the  development  of  the  fresh  pine- 
apple shipping  industry  depends  upon  so  much  as  this  matter  of 
properly  equipped  steamships  for  the  trade.  The  fruit  is  already 
growing,  is  being  put  in  the  cans  at  a  much  lower  value  than 
could  be  realized  on  fresh  fruit  shipments,  the  markets  are  ask- 
ing for  the  fruit  and  the  railroads  offer  means  of  transportation 
after  it  has  once  reached  the  mainland.     Provided  with  suitable 


10 

ships,  the  export  trade  in  fresh  pineapples  would  well  repay  the 
cost  incurred  in  equipment. 

From  the  standpoint  of  the  fresh  fruit  shipper  it  is  far  more 
important  that  ships  should  be  regular  and  frequent,  than  that 
they  should  be  large.  If  local  capital  is  to  own  or  control  ships 
which  will  carry  this  class  of  fruit,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
one  large  ship  though  it  may  or  may  not  be  better  from  the 
standpoint  of  passenger  traffic,  will  certainly  not  meet  the  needs 
of  fresh  fruit  shipping.  Fruit  that  is  too  immature  for  shipping 
today  may  be  too  ripe  two  weeks  hence.  The  boats  should  run  as 
frequently  as  once  in  ten  days  at  least,  and  with  regularity.  If 
the  shipper  cannot  know,  within  a  few  hours,  the  time  of  sail- 
ing, he  may  either  have  his  fruit  stand  in  the  heat  awaiting  the 
departure  of  the  ship,  or  it  may  be  too  late  to  be  taken  on  board. 

Careful  Handling  of  the  fruit  whenever  it  is  moved  is  of 
great  importance.  The  steamship  handles  the  fruit  in  loading 
and  unloading.  The  method  adopted  in  unloading,  whereby  the 
crates  are  allowed  to  slide  down  a  chute,  is  capable  of  doing 
much  damage.  This  is  a  convenient  and  easy  method  of  unload- 
ing, but  with  the  average  man  at  the  foot  of  the  chute,  every 
crate  stops  with  a  sudden  jerk  bruising  many  of  the  fruits  with- 
in. It  might  be  possible  to  arrange  a  chute  so  that  the  crate 
would  slowly  stop,  but  in  actual  practice,  it  is  an  exception,  so 
far  as  the  writer's  observation  goes,  that  a  crate  is  stopped  with- 
out a  sudden  jar.  In  loading,  if  the  crates  are  taken  on  board 
in  a  sling,  a  frame  should  be  arranged  so  that  the  ropes  will  not 
bind  against  the  outer  crates  and  bruise  the  fruits  within.  It  is 
a  common  practice  in  carrying  crates  to  allow  them  to  fall  two  or 
three  inches  when  setting  them  down.  This  is  true  not  only 
at  the  steamer  but  among  all  those  who  handle  the  crates.  The 
practice  must  be  avoided  or  bruising  will  certainly  follow. 

ORGANIZATION  FOR  MARKETING. 

-  Of  equal  importance  with  transportation  facilities,  is  the  or- 
ganization of  the  growers  and  shippers  into  a  co-operative  mar- 
keting concern.    The  success  of  co-operative  marketing  elsewhere 


II 

and  the  failure  of  other  methods  which  has  been  amply  demon- 
strated in  Hawaii,  should  be  sufficient  argument  to  lead  all  those 
interested  in  marketing  fresh  fruits  to  cooperate  in  a  market- 
ing- organization.  In  fact,  no  large  fresh  fruit  trade  is  likely  to 
be  built  up  except  through  some  strong  central  organization  of 
the  shippers,  or  the  formation  of  an  independent  marketing  com- 
pany who  will  buy  the  fruit  for  shipment.  The  latter  will  be  the 
result  if  the  growers  fail  to  organize  themselves.  Such  a  com- 
pany will  buy  the  fruit  at  canning  prices  and  ship  them  as  green 
fruit,  and  thus  the  profits  of  fresh  fruit  marketing  wiU  pass  from 
the  grower.  The  need  of  organization  has  been  set  forth  already 
in  Bulletin  No.  14  of  this  Station,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to 
say  here  that  the  observations  of  the  more  recent  study  of  the 
markets  hac  strengthened  the  conclusions  presented  therein. 

The  marketing  organization  should  be  represented  in  Hono- 
lulu and  all  points  in  the  Territory  from  which  direct  shipments 
are  made.  It  is  also  equally  important  that  at  least  one  man 
should  represent  the  shippers  in  San  Francisco,  and  the  busi- 
ness would  certainly  demand  in  the  near  future  that  other  repre- 
sentatives be  placed  in  the  different  markets  to  be  reached.  Ever; 
agent  should  be  on  salary,  with  no  commissions,  and  should  not 
engage  in  the  selling  of  other  fruit.  There  should  be  a  man  in 
San  Francisco  to  look  after  the  interests  of  Hawaiian  shippers, 
to  receive,  care  for,  and  trans-ship  fruit.  This  is  all  the  more 
true  since  much  of  the  fruit  would  be  better  for  repacking  before 
trans-shipment. 

The  local  agent  at  the  shipping  point  should  receiye  the  fruit. 
should  see  that  it  is  handled  with  utmost  care  by  the  transfer 
and  steamship  companies,  while  the  agent  at  San  Francisco  or 
other  port,  should  be  present  to  receive  the  fruit  and  see  that 
every  handling  is  performed  with  care. 

Whether  the  fruit  is  to  be  sold  at  private  sale,  or  at  public  auc- 
tion, must  be  determined  by  the  shippers.  In  part  it  may  be 
necessary  to  follow  the  precedent  of  each  market,  but  in  any 
case,  the  consignment  and  commission  system  should  be  avoided. 
In  some  markets,  fruit  is  sold  through  brokers  at  private  sale. 
In  others,  there  is  a  public  auction  at  which  all  buyers  may  bid. 


First  class  fruit  usually  brings  a  better  price  through  private 
sale,  provided  the  agent  is  a  good  salesman.  In  Chicago,  where 
the  experimental  shipment  of  the  past  summer  was  marketed. 
Florida  pineapples  are  sold  at  private  sale. 

MARKETS. 

The  Markets  Thai-  May  Be  Reached.  In  Bulletin  No.  14.it 
was  stated  that  in  the  future  development  of  the  tropical  fruit  trade 
the  Eastern  cities  of  the  United  States  would  probably  be  sup- 
plied bv  Porto  Rico.  Florida  and  Cuba,  while  the  western  coast 
could  be  supplied  from  Hawaii.  Although  it  would  not  be  wise 
to  draw  too  general  conclusions  from  a  single  experiment,  it 
must  be  said  that  the  results  of  the  shipping  investigations  of 
the  past  summer  point  towards  a  much  larger  outlook  for  Ha- 
waiian fruit  marketing.  The  pineapples  and  avocados  which 
were  taken  to  Chicago  in  August.  1907  arrived  in  such  condi- 
tion as  to  justify  the  belief  that  these  two  fruits  could  be  dis- 
tributed over  a  much  wider  area  than  had  been  previously  hoped. 
A  leading  dealer  in  fruits  in  Chicago  representing  a  firm  which 
ships  fruit  to  Europe,  as  well  as  to  all  parts  of  America,  on  ex- 
amining the  pineapples,  stated  that,  from  a  business  point  of 
view,  if  the  carload  were  the  property  of  his  company  it  should 
be  trans-shipped  at  once  to  Xew  York  :  and  further,  that  fruit 
in  such  condition  could  be  shipped  to  any  of  the  world's  great 
markets.  If  future  experiments  of  this  kind  shall  confirm  the 
results  of  the  past  season,  it  will  be  conservative  to  say  that 
Hawaiian  pineapples  ma}'  be  shipped  to  any  part  of  the  United 
States  or  Canada.  It  is  possible  that  some  kinds  of  fruits  may 
not  stand  the  distant  shipment,  and  for  these,  markets  must  be 
developed  nearer  home.  For  example,  the  papaia  will  probably 
not  endure  a  long  journey  by  rail  after  reaching  the  mainland. 
The  avocado  travels  much  better,  and  with  proper  refrigeration 
and  handling,  can  probably  be  carried  far  inland.  This  is  true 
also  of  the  mango.  The  carrying  qualities  of  some  other  fresh 
fruits  which  have  not  been  marketed  on  the  mainland,  have  yet 
to  be  determined. 


13 

The  Capacity  of  the  Markets  for  tropical  fruits,  when 
once  developed,  can  be  j ridged  by  the  enormous  consumption  of 
other  fruits,  which,  a  few  years  ago,  were  comparatively  un- 
known, or  were  not  shipped  in  quantity  to  eastern  markets.  To 
illustrate  this,  it  may  be  said  that  more  than  twenty  carloads  of 
California  grapes  are  sometimes  sold  in  a  single  morning  in  the 
Chicago  market.  It  is  estimated  by  those  most  familiar  with 
the  fruit  trade  of  Chicago  that  this  market  receives  at  present 
about  twenty-five  hundred  carloads  of  pineapples  per  year.  The 
present  consumption  of  this  fruit  is  only  the  faintest  indication 
of  the  amount  which  will  be  consumed  in  the  future  provided 
proper  methods  for  developing  markets  are  pursued.  This  pre- 
supposes a  marketing  organization.  Through  such  an  agency  a 
constant  supply  of  fruit  can  be  kept  upon  the  markets  during 
the  season.  By  this  means  also,  the  over-stocking  of  one  mar- 
ket while  another  is  bare  will  be  avoided,  and  by  care  in 
repacking  on  the  part  of  the  trans-shipping  agent,  fruit  of 
uniformly  first  class  quality  can  be  supplied.  This  constant 
stream  of  good  fruit  flowing  into  the  markets  will  rapidly  in- 
crease their  capacity.  In  Ogden,  Salt  Lake  City  and  Denver 
it  was  found  that  there  were  dealers  ready  to  receive  Hawaiian 
pineapples  in  carload  lots.  With  the  exception  of  Reno,  Nevada, 
these  were  the  only  markets  visited  between  San  Francisco  and 
Chicago.  No  doubt  all  the  large  cities  would  take  the  fruit  in 
freight  lots. 

Developing  the  fresh  pineapple  market  means  an  enormous  in- 
crease in  the  use  of  canned  pines.  The  canned  product  on  the 
shelves  of  the  grocery  store  attracts  little  attention,  a  pineapple 
tin  appearing  the  same  as  that  containing  any  other  fruit.  On 
the  other  hand  the  fresh  fruit  is  conspicuous  by  its  unusual  form 
and  beauty,  and  if  of  good  size,  attracts  the  attention  of  every 
passerby.  If  reasonable  in  price,  he  buys  and  perhaps  learns 
for  the  first  time  the  taste  of  the  pineapple;  or  if  he  has  eaten 
the  pineapple  before,  he  learns  for  the  first  time  the  quality  of 
the  Hawaiian  product.  Later  when  the  fruit  is  out  of  season 
he  buys  it  in  the  can.  If  Hawaiian  growers  fear  an  over-pro- 
duction of  pineapples,  the  best  possible  policy  would  be  to  keep 


14 

selling  the  fresh  fruit  in  as  large  quantities  as  the  markets  will 
consume.   - 

The  term  "overproduction"  merely  expresses  a  relation  in  which 
the  immediate  supply  exceeds  the  demand.  Equilibrium  may 
be  restored  not  through  any  permanent  reduction  in  the  supply, 
but  through  increase  in  demand.  This  may  be  accomplished 
through  more  general  distribution.  As  an  illustration  of  this. 
there  are  more  prunes  and  raisins  sold  today  at  remunerative 
prices  than  were  grown  at  any  time  during  the  period  of  so- 
called  over-production  in  California  and  Oregon.  The  rational 
move  for  the  growers  of  pineapples  is  to  organize  their  efforts 
to  keep  the  demand  constantly  in  advance  of  the  supply. 

In  the  discussion  of  markets  the  pineapple  is  spoken  of  in  par- 
ticular since  that  fruit  is  grown  most  extensively  in  Hawaii. 
There  are  those  who  are  making  a  specialty  of  handling  rare 
fruits  and  particularly  tropical  fruits  in  the  great  markets  but 
this  is  comparatively  a  new  business. 

Competition.  It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  Hawaii  can  have 
the  whole  field  without  competition,  nor  is  it  necessary.  Some 
have  thought  that  Hawaiian  pineapples  could  not  compete  in 
price  with  the  Florida  product.  The  prices  of  the  latter,  as  quot- 
ed in  the  Eastern  markets,  are  somewhat  misleading  to  the 
Hawaiian  grower.  Prices  are  usually  quoted  per  crate.  The 
Florida  crate  being  much  smaller  than  the  Hawaiian,  and  the 
fruit  also  being  of  much  smaller  size,  the  comparison  of  prices 
means  very  little,  except  when  brought  to  a  per  pound  basis. 

The  quotations  in  Chicago  on  May  22,  1907  were  about  as 
follows : 

42    size     $2.75    per    crate 

36    size     3.25    per    crate 

30    size     3 .  50    per    crate 

24    size     3 .  50    per    crate 

18    size     3 .  50    per    crate 

The  "42  size"  indicates  that  there  are  42  pines  per  crate.  The 
gross  weight  of  a  crate  is  about  75  pounds,  and  the  net  weight 


i5 

approximately.  60  pounds.  It  varies  little  with  the  size  of  the 
fruit.  Therefore,  about  60  pounds  of  fruit  were  selling  on  that 
day  at  $2.75  "to  $3.50  according-  to  size  of  fruit.  The  finest  of 
these,  the  eighteen?,  would  average  only  3.3  pounds  per  fruit,  or 
smaller  than  any  fruit  which  is  shipped  from  Hawaii.  The  price 
of  the  best  grade  would  be  about  the  equivalent  of  $116  per  ton. 
If  this  price  were  received  for  Hawaiian  pine?,  there  would  be 
left  a  very  considerable  margin  after  deducting  the  costs  of  trans- 
portation. Hawaiian  pines  sold  in  September  in  Chicago  for 
$155  per  ton. 

Although  the  Florida  crop  matures  about  the  same  time  a? 
that  of  Hawaii,  when  the  Hawaiian  pines  were  sold  in  Chicago 
in  September,  the  market  was  bare  of  other  pineapples  and  was 
reported  to  have  been  so  for  a  long  time.  The  dealers  stated 
that  very  few  pines  were  received  during  the  summer  and  the 
Hawaiian  product  would  find  a  ready  ?ale. 

The  Florida  output  con?i?ts  of  about  half  a  million  crates  per 
year.  Thi?,  however,  i?  ?ubject  to  the  uncertaintie?  of  weather 
to  a  greater  degree  than  the  Hawaiian  crop.  For  example,  the 
Florida  crop  for  1907,  especially  on  the  lower  east  coast,  suffered 
seriously  from  a  freeze  and  the  entire  pineapple  area  was  visited 
by  a  severe  drought.  It  is  estimated  that  these  two  factors  re- 
duced the  crop  to  about  40  to  60  per  cent  of  the  normal.  Al- 
though the  Hawaiian  pineapple  fields  may  at  some  future  time 
suffer  from  severe  drought,  frost  is  unknown.  The  assurance 
of  protection  against  this  dread  enemy  which  those  in  an  "al- 
most" frostless  country  are  constantly  in  fear  of  should  quite 
offset  the  difference  in  the  cost  of  transportation. 

Comparing  the  quality  of  the  fruit,  it  has  been  recognized  in 
all  the  markets  visited  during  the  past  summer's  investigations, 
that  the  quality  of  the  Hawaiian  pines  as  to  flavor,  texture  and 
juiciness  is  far  superior  to  the  average.  This  may  perhaps  be 
attributed  in  part  to  soil  and  climate,  but  is  probably  due  in  a  large 
degree  to  the  variety  which  is  grown  in  Hawaii  most  extensively. 
The  "Smooth  Cayenne"  is  recognized  as  a  pineapple  of  fine  qual- 
ity, but  Hawaii  must  not  be  blind  to  the  fact  that  her  competitors 


i6 

have  chosen  the  "Red  Spanish"  because  of  its  better  shipping" 
qualities.  About  90  per  cent  of  the  Florida  crop  is  said  to  be 
of  this  variety.  If,  however,  the  Smooth  Cayenne  can  be  suc- 
cessfully shipped  with  only  a  small  loss  in  transit,  it  will  out- 
sell the  Red  Spanish. 

It  has  also  been  supposed  by  some  that  Hawaii  has  a  peculiar 
obstacle  to  contend  with  in  the  black  rot  of  the  pineapple.  This, 
however,  is  incorrect  since  the  same  disease  has  been  reported 
in  pineapples  which  have  been  received  in  the  Chicago  markets 
from  southeastern  points.  This  disease  is  more  prevalent  in  the 
Smooth  Cayenne  variety  than  in  the  Red  Spanish. 

PINEAPPLES. 

SPECIAL   COXDTTTOXS    AFFECTING   SUCCESS    TX    SHIPPING. 

Care  ix  Handling.     The  pineapple,  as  grown  in  Hawaii,  is 

an  unusually  delicate  fruit  to  ship.  Its  wTeight  is  the  first  factor 
in  the  problem.  If  an  apple,  a  peach  or  an  orange  falls  an  eighth 
or  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  there  is  comparatively  little  momentum 
overcome  when  it  strikes  on  a  single  point.  When,  however,  a 
five  to  nine  pound  pineapple  falls  the  same  distance  and  comes 
to  rest  on  a  comparatively  small  portion  of  its  surface,  or  when 
in  sliding  down  a  chute  within  a  crate,  it  suddenly  comes  to 
rest  against  an  adjoining  fruit,  the  momentum  causes  bruising, 
or  a  destruction  of  the  delicate  cells  within  the  fruit.  In  the 
case  of  a  cured  orange,  or  pomelo  and  in  many  other  commer- 
cial fruits,  there  is  a  certain  elasticity  which  tends  to  overcome 
bruising,  and  to  protect  the  cell  structure  within.  This  is  lack- 
ing in  the  pineapple.  Further,  the  composite  character  of  the 
pineapple  is  against  it  as  a  shipping  fruit.  It  is  really  made  up 
of  many  small  fruits,  or  segments,  placed  closely  together  but 
easily  separable  from  each  other.  A  bruise  which  would  not  be 
sufficient  to  rupture  the  epidermis  of  most  commercial  fruits, 
would  be  sufficient  to  cause  a  separation  between  two  of  these 
segments,  thus  affording  an  opening  for  the  exudation  of  juice. 
This  provides  the  best  possible  medium  for  the  growth  of  fungi. 


1/ 

The  abundance  of  the  juice  in  itself  is  another  contributing  fac- 
tor. 

It,  therefore,  becomes  extremely  important  that  the  pineapple 
should  be  handled  with  utmost  care.  A  large  portion  of  the 
losses,  which  were  observable  in  the  fruits  used  in  the  experi- 
ments were  plainly  due  to  bruiriner.  This  care  must  be  exer- 
cised at  every  step  from  the  gathering  in  the  field  to  delivery  in 
the  market.  The  grower,  the  shipper,  the  transfer  companies, 
the  steamship  companies,  and'  the  fruit  dealers  each  have  their 
part  to  perform,  and  neglect  or  carelessness  at  any  point  in  tran- 
sit will  result  in  loss  to  the  owners  of  the  fruit.  It  should  never 
be  thrown  or  allowed  to  fall  even  the  slightest  distance,  nor  be 
carried  from  the  field  to  the  packing  house  in  bulk.  The  pack- 
ing of  a  ton  or  more  of  pineapples  loose  on  a  wagon  must  result 
in  the  bruising  of  a  good  many  fruits.  In  fact,  it  would  pro- 
bably pay  to  allow  each  pineapple  to  sustain  no  other  weight  than 
its  own  from  field  to  packing  house,  where  it  has  no  protective 
material  surrounding  it.  This  could  be  accomplished  by  single 
layer  crates.     Only  spring  wagons  should  be  used. 

Under  present  methods  of  shipping,  the  packer  should  use  lib- 
eral amounts  of  packing  materials.  In  the  experiments  of  1006 
it  was  found  that  the  crates  shipped  with  very  little  packing 
other  than  a  paper  wrapping,  went  through  with  very  small  loss. 
In  the  1906  shipment,  however,  the  fruit  was  more  care f till v 
supervised  at  every  handling  than  was  possible  with  the  ship- 
ments of  the  season  of  1007,  or  would  be  possible  with  commer- 
cial shipments  except  through  a  marketing  organization.  If  all 
the  fruit  were  handled  by  its  owners,  the  use  of  very  little  pack- 
ing material  might  be  recommended.  The  transfer  companies 
carrying  the  fruit  from  railroad  to  wharf  should  be  cautioned  in 
regard  to  the  handling  of  delicate  fruits.  It  is  much  easier  to 
drop  a  crate,  allowing  it  to  fall  an  inch  or  two,  than  it  is  to  place 
it  where  it  belongs.  Men  who  are  accustomed  to  handling  pack- 
ages constantly,  naturally  acquire  the  easiest  method. 

The  duty  of  the  steamship  companies,  in  relation  to  careful 
handling,  is  the  same  in  part  as  that  of  the  transfer  companies. 


i8 

The  methods  of  loading  and  discharging  the  cargo,  can  be  much 
improved  upon.  Pineapples  are  frequently  taken  on  board  by 
means  of  a  sling  which  bruises  the  fruits  where  the  rope  binds 
the  crate.  In  discharging  the  fruit  even  greater  damage  occurs 
when  the  chute  is  used.  The  crates  are  placed  at  the  top  of  an 
inclined  plane  and  are  allowed  to  descend,  by  their  own  weight. 
In  practice,  nearly  every  crate  comes  to  a  sudden  stop  on  the 
level  plane  at  the  foot  of  the  chute  with  consequent  bruising  to 
the  fruits  within.  It  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  for  a  man 
at  the  foot  of  the  chute  to  control  the  matter  so  that  the  crates 
will  come  to  rest  slowly  without  jar.  Some  device  must  be 
sought  which  will  obviate  this  bruising  both  in  taking  on  and 
discharging  the  cargo.  Where  the  fruit  is  hoisted  by  tackle  at- 
tached to  the  boom,  or  freight  crane,  it  would  be  possible  to 
avoid  the  bruising  by  the  rope  if  a  frame  were  made  in  which 
the  crates  could  be  placed,  so  that  the  binding  would  be  against 
the  frame  instead  of  the  crates.  This  injury  can  be  largely 
avoided  by  the  use  of  strips  of  wood  at  the  four  corners  of  the 
sling  to  distribute  the  pressure.  A  more  rapid  method  of  load- 
ing and  discharging,  if  there  were  sufficient  business  to  justify 
it.  would  be  an  adaptation  of  the  endless  chain  carrier  with 
attendants  at  the  top  and  bottom.  By  this  means,  the  fruit 
could  be  handled  much  more  rapidly  and  with  less  injury.  Per- 
haps the  present  shipments  of  fresh  pineapples  would  not  justify 
any  steamship  company  in  putting  in  this  apparatus  for  pine- 
apples alone.  If,  however,  there  were  a  fresh  fruit  marketing 
organization,  and  a  larger  quantity  shipped,  this  would  appear 
to  be  the  most  satisfactory  method  of  handling  the  crates  at  the 
ship.  It  may  be  said  also  that  this  method  would  be  equally 
advantageous  in  the  case  of  bananas  wherever  they  are  not 
trucked  into  the  ship. 

The  responsibility  of  the  commission  merchant  for  the  hand- 
ling of  fruit  begins  at  the  dock.  The  most  satisfactory  method 
of  securing  uniform  care  from  this  point  to  the  retail  dealer  is  in 
having  the  ownership  pass  from  the  grower  to  the  wholesale 
dealer.     It   is   useless   to   expect   the   average   commission   mer- 


19 

chant  to  take  the  same  care  with  consigned  fruit  that  would 
be  taken  with  fruit  which  he  owns.  As  an  illustration"  of  this, 
it  may  be  said  the  writer  has  seen  Hawaiian  bananas  thrown 
fully  ten  feet  and  allowed  to  drop  on  the  bottom  of  a  wagon 
and  then  piled  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  the  loader  standing 
on  the  lower  tiers  while  the  upper  ones  were  being  placed. 
Xo  man  would  treat  his  own  bananas  in  this  way,  nor  is  it  in- 
tended to  intimate  that  every  commission  house  so  treats  fruit 
consigned  to  it.  But  how  is  the  consignor  to  know  what  injury 
is  the  result  of  careless  handling  on  the  part  of  the  consignee? 
It  is  even  more  important  that  the  pineapples  be  handled  with 
care  at  their  destination  than  in  the  field,  since  they  are  riper. 
The  chute  is  in  use  in  many  commission  houses  also  as  a  means 
of  transferring  the  fruit  from  the  wagon  to  the  basement  of  the 
fruit  house.  Although  the  distance  is  not  so  great  as  from  the 
steamer's  side  to  the  wharf,  the  momentum  acquired  before  the 
floor  of  the  basement  is  reached,  is  sufficient  to  cause  much 
bruising  unless  the  operator  at  the  foot  of  the  chute  is  on  the 
alert  to  prevent  sudden  jar.  It  is  important  also  that  the  pine- 
apples which  have  traveled  2,000  miles  by  steamer,  should  be 
picked  over  as  soon  as  possible  eliminating  those  which  are  de- 
caying, and  thus  avoiding  the  spread  of  disease. 

Packing  Materials.  Further  tests  were  made  of  the  rela- 
tive value  of  hay  and  excelsior  for  packing  pineapples  in  the 
crates.  So  far  as  the  preservation  of  the  fruit  is  concerned 
there  appears  to  be  no  difference  but  the  excelsior  makes  a  better 
appearance.  Corrugated  strawboard  was  also  tested  as  a  wrap- 
ping about  each  pineapple  but  wifh  no  added  benefit. 

Pineapple  Rot,  Thielaviopsis  cthaceticus.  The  presence  of 
this  disease  in  pineapples  was  mentioned  in  Bulletin  Xo.  14.  As 
stated  above,  this  disease  is  not  peculiar  to  Hawaii.  It,  never- 
theless, appears  to  be  an  important  factor  in  the  problem  of  fresh 
fruit  shipments,  and  its  control  is  a  matter  of  great  importance. 
Every  means  possible  should  be  taken  to  avoid  infection  with 
the  spores  of  Thielaviopsis.  Even  should  it  prove  practicable 
to  arrest  the   development   of  the   fungus   in   pineapples   before 


20 


shipment,  the  importance  of  avoiding  infection  remains  the  same. 
In  most  fungus  attacks  upon  ripening  fruit,  a  large  part  of  the 
injury  results  from  increasing  the  number  of  vulnerable  points. 
In  the  case  of  citrus  fruits  for  example,  it  has  been  found  !  that 
much  of  the  heavy  loss  sustained  has  been  due  to  abrasions  of 
the  rind  caused  by  brushing,  or  by  the  orange  clippers,  or  from 
other  sources.  Although  the  exact  life-history  of  Thielcnriopsis 
in  pineapples  has  not  been  thoroughly  worked  out,  it  is  reason- 
able to  suspect  by  analogy,  some  of  the  probable  means  of  in- 
fection. First,  infection  may  readily  take  place  through  the 
moistened  surface  of  the  stem  where  it  is  cut.  Considerable 
benefits  appear  to  have  been  gained  by  thoroughly  drying  the 
stem  before  packing  so  that  it  will  be  a  less  inviting  field  for 
spores.  The  Experiment  Station  has  not  vet  been  able  to  make 
a  careful  and  exhaustive  study  of  this  subject.  So  far  as  ob- 
servations have  been  carried,  there  is  an  advantage  in  allowing 
the  fruit  to  stand  on  its  crown  for  some  time  after  gathering. 
Second,  innumerable  vulnerable  points  are  made  by  the  bruis- 
ing which  takes  place  in  shipping.  Bruising  of  the  fruit  can 
be  avoided  by  careful  packing  and  handling.  Third,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  insects  play  their  part  in  the  spreading  of  this  dis- 
ease. Whether  the  pineapple  mealy-bug,  or  the  pineapple  scale 
spreads  this  disease  has  not  been  proved,  but  the  general  nature 
of  their  attack  makes  it  probable  that  they  do.  Mealy-bugs  clus- 
ter at  the  base  of  the  pineapple.  They  not  only  puncture  the 
fruit  but  also  cause  it  to  crack  open.  The  mealy-bug  saps  the 
vitality  of  the  plant  and  mars  the  appearance  of  the  fruit.  The 
shipment  of  insect-infested  fruits  will  also  give  Hawaiian  pine- 
apples a  bad  name  in  ports  where  careful  quarantine  regulations 
are  enforced.  Every  effort  should  therefore  be  made  to  control 
insect  pests  in  the  pineapple  fields.  Xew  fields  should  not  be 
planted  without  carefully  fumigating  or  dipping  the  plants  to 
destrov  the  insects  present. 


i     Powell  et  al,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Bureau  of  Plant  Indus- 
try, Bulletin  No.   123. 


21 


FRUIT  FROM  DIFFERENT  FIELDS. 

There  appears  to  be  a  very  wide  difference  in  the  keeping 
quality  of  pineapples  from  different  fields.  During  the  trials  of 
two  years  the  average  loss  on  fruits  from  some  fields  has  run 
as  low  as  4.93  per  cent,  while  from  other  fields  it  has  averaged 


HAWAIIAN    PINEAPPLES    WITH    STEMS    CUT    LONG. 


25.77  Per  cent.  While  the  evidence  in  hand  is  not  conclusive 
it  strongly  suggests  the  importance  of  soil  studies  and  fertilizer 
experiments  in  relation  to  the  keeping  quality  of  pineapples. 

LENGTH  OF  STEMS. 

A  large  number  of  fruits  were  cut  with  stems  two  to  three 
inches  long  and  also  others  with  stems  one  inch  long  or  less. 


22 

The  results  are  confirmatory  of  those  of  the  vear  1906,  referred 
to  in  Bulletin  No.  14.  On  fruits  that  showed  a  great  tendency 
to  decay  in  transit  the  part  saved  by  cutting  long  stems  averaged 
17  per  cent  of  the  whole.  The  greater  the  tendency  to  decay, 
the  greater  became  the  saving  on  long-stemmed  fruit.  This  340 
lbs.  per  ton  or  17  per  cent,  would  be  worth  $17  on  a  basis  of  5 
cents   per   pound. 

Broken  Stems.  There  is  a  point  in  the  pineapple  stalk  where 
the  fruit  can  be  broken  from  the  plant.  This  point,  however, 
is  too  close  to  the  fruit,  even  closer  than  it  has  been  customary 
to  cut.  The  difference  in  favor  of  long  stems  as  compared  with 
broken  stems  was  over  46  per  cent. 

Paper  Wrapping.  In  the  experiments  of  1906  it  was  shown 
that  the  use  of  a  paper  wrapping  about  each  fruit  resulted  in  a 
marked  reduction  in  the  loss.  These  results  also  are  confirmed 
by  the  trials  made  in  1907.  Where  the  loss  was  heavy  without 
wrapping  there  was  a  saving  on  wrapped  fruit  ranging  from 
4^4  Pe*"  cent  to  over  934  per  cent.  On  an  average  this  differ- 
ence in  favor  of  wrapping  was  about  6.6  per  cent. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  fruits  that  were  cut  with  long 
stems  and  also  wrapped  in  paper  and  otherwise  comparable  with 
the  above  showed  an  average  saving  of  22.37  Pe**  cent  of  the 
whole  as  compared  with  fruits  cut  with  short  stems  and  packed 
without  paper.  This  approximates  the  figure  obtained  by  add- 
ing the  gains  resulting  from  these  two  devices  when  practiced 
separately.  This  experiment  confirms  the  results  obtained  in 
1906. 

RELATIVE  ADVANTAGE  OF   DIFFERENT   PARTS  OF 

SHIP. 

During  the  experiments  of  1907  tests  were  made  of  the  relative 
advantages  of  the  orlop  deck  and  the  after-deck  for  the  carrying 
of  pineapples.  The  'tween-decks  were  not  used  at  all  since  the 
results  here  the  previous  season  were  so  decidedly  unfavorable, 
and  since  this  portion  of  the  ship  without  a  forced  draft  is  mani- 
festly without  sufficient  ventilation  for  carrying  fruit.  The  tem- 
peratures are  too  high  and  the  circulation  of  air  is  insufficient. 


23 

Pineapples  from  the  three  fields  mentioned,  were  placed  on  the 
after-deck  of  the  ship  and  were  covered  with  a  tarpaulin  to 
protect  them  from  the  weather.  The  fruit  on  the  orlop,  deck  was 
ventilated,  as  usual,  by  means  of  a  windsail.  The  results  show 
no  constant  advantage  in  favor  of  either  of  these  decks.  While 
in  fair  weather  fruit  can  be  carried  on  the  after-deck  with  a  fair 
degree  of  safety,  in  stormy  or  cold  weather  this  cannot  be  done. 
The  tarpaulin  over  the  crates  on  the  after-deck,  should  be  placed 
a  sufficient  distance  above  the  crates  to  permit  a  free  circulation 
of  air  beneath.  Otherwise  the  temperatures  will  become  too 
high    » 

Carrying  fruit  where  it  is  exposed  to  the  vicissitudes  of  wea- 
ther can  be  regarded  only  as  a  makeshift.  Any  steamship  com- 
pany which  aims  to  get  the  fresh  fruit  trade  must  equip  its  ships 
to  handle  fruit  in  all  weather. 

REFRIGERATION  VERSUS  VENTILATION. 

Some  pineapples  were  shipped  by  the  trade  in  refrigeration 
during  the  early  part  of  the  season  of  1907.  The  temperature 
was  to  be  held  at  about  50  degrees. 

An  experiment  was  made  to  determine  the  value  of  such  re- 
frigeration. In  the  case  of  pineapples  from  fields  A  and  B,  no 
advantage  resulted,  the  loss  being  practically  the  same  in  refri- 
geration as  on  the  after  deck.  No  fruits  from  field  C  were 
shipped  in  refrigeration.  The  temperature  of  the  refrigerated 
compartments  was  held  at  about  50  degrees  F.  after  it  had  been 
reduced  to  this  point.  The  compartments  were  very  full,  and 
it  is  probable  that  the  temperature  of  the  fruit  remained  for 
a  long  time  above  that  of  the  air  of  the  room.  The  tem- 
perature of  50  degrees  F.  was  not  attained  in  one  of  the 
largest  compartments  until  about  eight  P.  M.  of  July  26. 
23/2  days  from  the  time  of  sailing.  This  temperature,  50 
degrees,  is  higher  than  is  used  for  the  refrigeration  of  other 
fruits.     While  it  would  not  be  fair  to  conclude  that  refrigeration 


1  See  "Transportation   by   Sea,"   page  7. 


24 

is  unstated  to  pineapple  shipments,  it  can  be  safely  averred  that 
an  air  temperature  of  50  degrees  attained  two  days  or  more 
after  sailing,  the  fruit  having  been  gathered  several  days  pre- 
ceding sailing,  is  of  no  particular  advantage.  A  more  effective 
refrigeration,  which  would  bring  the  temperature  of  the  com- 
partment to  perhaps  40  degrees  within  a  short  time  after  sailing. 
might  give  far  different  results.  The  cost  of  shipping  bv  refri- 
geration is  considerably  greater  than  by  ordinary  freight.  The 
lowest  rates  offered,  so  far  as  the  writer  is  aware,  for  refrigerated 
freight  from  Honolulu  to  San  Francisco  is  one  cent  per  pound, 
about  three  times  the  cost  for  carrying  on  deck.  If  the  simpler 
and  cheaper  method  of  transportation  in  ventilation  should  prove 
inefficient,  it  will  then  be  necessary  to  conduct  further  experi- 
ments in  refrigeration  in  transit  using  lower  temperatures. 

BANANAS. 

One  of  the  experiments  was  the  shipment  of  Chinese  bananas 
to  San  Francisco  unwrapped.  This  variety  is  always  wrapped 
when  exported  from  Hawaii.  The  wrapping  consists  of  dried 
banana  leaves  or  occasionally,  dried  grass  ;  the  latter  however  is 
not  a  suitable  material. 

A  serious  disadvantage,  is  that  this  wrapping  gives  to  the 
bunch  of  bananas  the  appearance  of  greater  protection  than  it 
really  has.  The  fruit,  therefore,  receives  very  much  rougher 
handling.  The  experiment  was  made  for  these  reasons  and  be- 
cause some  have  thought  that  the  wrapping  might  be  a  direct 
cause  of  heating.  Fifty  bunches  were  shipped  in  connection 
with  the  first  experiments  of  1907.  It  was  intended  that  these 
fruits  should  receive  the  same  care  on  board  ship  as  the  rest  of 
the  cargo  of  wrapped  fruit.  Through  an  error  the  bunches  were 
suspended  from  hooks  and  hung  clear  of  each  other.  They  thus 
received  better  care  than  the  wrapped  fruit.  Notwithstanding 
this,  these  fifty  bunches  arrived  in  San  Francisco  in  no  better 
condition  than  those  which  were  wrapped :  and  it  was  evident 
from  their  bruised  condition  that  had  they  been  placed  with  the 
others  and  been  loaded  and  discharged  in  the  same  manner,  they 


25 

would  not  have  arrived  in  salable  condition.  The  Chinese,  or 
Cavendish  variety,  has  a  rind  much  more  delicate  than  the  so- 
called  "Eastern"  banana  imported  from  Central  America  and  the 
West  Indies. 

Since  the  bananas  received  unusually  good  care  from  the 
steamship  company,  the  bruises  were  probably  received  from 
those  who  handled  the  fruit  in  Honolulu  or  in  San  Francisco. 
Both  the  consignor  and  the  consignee  should  be  slow  to  lav  all 
the  blame  for  losses  at  the  door  of  the  steamship  company  until 
they  have  made  sure  that  none  of  it  can  be  accounted  for  by 
their  own  methods  of  handling  the  fruit. 

The  so-called  Eastern  variety  was  introduced  into  Hawaii  in 
1904  under  the  name  of  "Bluefields"  banana,  Bluefields  being  an 
important  port  of  shipment  in  the  banana  trade.  It  is  well 
known  that  this  variety  is  always  shipped  without  wrapping  both 
in  steamships  and  by  rail. 

A  great  many  offsets  have  been  distributed  throughout  Ha- 
waii from  the  stock  introduced  and  propagated  by  this  Station. 
Some  of  these  fruits  are  beginning  to  appear,  and  a  few  bunches 
were  shipped  to  San  Francisco  in  November,  1907.  One  of 
these  was  overripe  on  arrival  due  to  having  been  too  near  ripe 
when  shipped.  The  others  are  reported  to  have  arrived  in  most 
excellent  condition  and  to  have  ripened  with  a  bright  color.  This 
limited  trial  would  not  be  a  sufficient  one  upon  which  to  base, 
conclusions  in  the  matter  of  shipping  this  variety  without  wrap- 
ping on  the  steamships  from  Honolulu,  because  these  vessels 
are  not  specially  equipped  for  the  banana  trade,  as  are  those  in 
the  West  Indian  trade.  It  will  not  be  long  before  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  this  fruit  should  be  available  to  make  a  more  exten- 
sive test. 

If  the  Chinese,  or  Cavendish  banana,  continues  in  the  Hawaii- 
an trade,  some  methods  of  protection,  preferable  to  those  now  in 
use.  should  be  sought.  On  the  mainland  a  cylindrical  package 
known  as  a  "banana  drum/'  is  coming  into  use  in  shipping- 
bananas  by  express  from  the  great  central  markets  to  the  tribu- 
tary territory.  These  are  of  heavy  pasteboard  or  strawboard 
with  three  hoops  and  have  a  thin,  wooden  bottom.    At  the  top, 


26 

a  lining-  of  heavy  wrapping  paper  extends  about  a  foot  above 
the  top  of  the  drum.  The  bunch  of  bananas  is  packed  within 
this  drum  and  the  paper  tied  about  the  stem,  which  thus  makes 
a  convenient  handle  for  lifting  the  package.  A  similar  drum  is 
also  being  made  with  veneer  sides  in  place  of  the  pasteboard. 
These  are  quoted  in  Chicago  at  nine  cents  for  a  twelve  inch 
drum,  or  ten  cents  for  a  fourteen  inch  drum  ;  ''knocked  down" 
and  crated  for  shipment.  The  paper  drums  cost  about  half  this 
amount.  It  would  be  well  to  make  a  trial  of  these  packages,  as 
in  case  they  should  prove  desirable,  they  could  undoubtedly  be 
manufactured  here  in  Hawaii.  Such  packages  would  probably 
not  receive  as  rough  handling  as  the  bunches  wrapped  in  banana 
leaves. 

AVOCADOS. 

The  results  set  forth  in  Bulletin  No.  14  regarding  methods 
of  picking,  packing  and  shipment  of  avocados  have  been  con- 
firmed by  the  trials  of  1907.  Through  an  accident,  many  of  the 
-packages  did  not  receive  the  treatment  which  had  been  planned, 
resulting  in  rather  high  percentages  of  loss.  All  that  were  pack- 
ed and  treated  as  described  in  Bulletin  No.  14  gave  satisfactory 
results. 

The  refrigeration  given  the  avocados  was  the  same  as  referred 
to  above  in  the  case  of  pineapples  except  that  the  temperature  of 
50  degrees  F.  was  attained  much  more  rapidly  in  the  room  where 
the  avocados  were  placed.  Although  the  fruit  which  was  pick- 
ed, packed  and  placed  011  board  the  steamer,  as  directed  in  Bul- 
letin No.  14,  arrived  in  San  Francisco  in  good  condition,  it 
would  have  been  better,  judged  by  market  standards,  had  it  been 
firmer.  The  observations  of  this  and  other  experiments,  suggest 
that  a  temperature  lower  than  50  degrees  is  necessary  for  the 
most  successful  shipment  of  avocados.  It  is  recommended,  ten- 
tatively, that  the  temperature  be  held  as  low  as  40  degrees. 

Observing  a  few  essential  points  in  packing  and  shipping,  the 
avocado  appears  not  to  be  a  difficult  fruit  to  export.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  use  care  in  picking  and  packing  so  as  to  avoid  bruising. 
It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  avocados  which  have  been 


27 

shaken  from  the  tree,  or  knocked  off  with  sticks  or  stones,  or 
allowed  to  fall,  even  after  being  cut,  are  unfit  for  shipment.  Yet 
such  fruit  has  repeatedly  been  shipped  and  has  been  in  part  res- 
ponsible for  the  impression  that  avocados  are  an  uncertain  ship- 
ping fruit.  To  insure  success  the  fruit,  after  careful  picking, 
should  be  wrapped  in  paper  and  packed  in  single  layer  crates. 
The  spaces  between  ihe  fruits  should  not  be  filled  with  paper,  as 
is  often  done.  This  paper  makes  refrigeration  much  more  dif- 
ficult, retaining  the  natural  heat  of  the  fruit  until  ripening  has 
begun.  Perhaps  the  most  striking  essential  in  shipping  avocados 
is  to  get  the  fruit  into  refrigeration  promptly  after  packing.  Tt 
is  characteristic  of  the  avocado  that  it  begins  to  soften  very 
soon  after  picking.  After  this  softening  has  begun,  it  is  too 
late  to  arrest  the  ripening  process  and  place  the  fruit  on  the 
market  in  a  firm  condition  as  required  by  the  dealers.  This 
fruit  should  arrive  in  the  market  perfectly  hard.  Fruit  that  is 
beginning  to  soften,  even  though  it  may  be  in  prime  condition 
for  immediate  use,  will  not  sell  readily.  The  dealers  fear  the 
risk  of  loss  in  case  the  fruit  is  not  placed  with  consumers  imme- 
diately. 

The  market  for  avocados  is  limited  at  present-  by  reason  of 
the  high  price,  and  in  most  inland  cities  this  fruit  is  little  known. 
Experience  has  gone  far  enough,  however,  to  demonstrate  that 
once  the  avocado  becomes  known  and  of  moderate  price,  there 
will  be  markets  for  large  quantities.  First-class  avocados  in 
good  condition  sell  in  San  Francisco  for  about  $2.50  per  dozen, 
and  there  is  little  difficulty  in  disposing  of  all  that  arrive  at  the 
present  time,  provided  only  that  they  are  firm  and  of  good 
quality. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  FLORIDA 


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